


Water

by TaraHarkon



Series: Finding You [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 05:24:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4007503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraHarkon/pseuds/TaraHarkon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers wakes up in the middle of the night and needs support against his own nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Water

The temperature in the apartment dropped as it did every night and Steve’s dreams shifted. Big hands tightened on the pillow and Steve grunted as he pulled himself into a tight ball. _The splash. Trying to get out of the plane. The water rushing in. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think._ He thrashed into violent wakefulness and sat up, breathing hard. He was almost gasping for air, some part of his mind still drowning. It took a few minutes before he was starting to feel better, but he knew he couldn’t get back to sleep. He climbed out of bed and dressed quickly in his running clothes and went to hit the streets. The summer night was hot, but at least that would drive the ice from his mind for a while. He took off at the light jog, not really thinking about where he was heading. He found himself standing on the banks of the Potomac, staring out at the water. The second time he’d gone down in the water, the second time he didn’t think he was coming back. And yet, here he was. Steve knew he couldn’t keep thinking about this, couldn’t keep dwelling on the past. Hadn’t he just been talking to Natasha about this with her own past? Looking out into the water, he pulled out his phone and his fingers navigated the numbers without needing any guidance from his mind. He smiled as he heard the sleepy greeting.  
“Steve?”  
“Sorry if I woke you, Tasha.”  
He paused for a second and she jumped right in.  
“What’s wrong? Its three in the morning. Where are you?”  
“I’m…out by the river.”  
She was quiet for a few seconds.  
“I’ll be right there.” 

* * *

Natasha found him standing on the shore, so close to where they’d found him, to where the Winter Soldier had left him. He turned at her approaching footsteps and smiled sadly.

“Sorry, Nat.”  
She came right over and wrapped her arms around him. His arms went around her and he leaned against her subtly.  
“Nightmares?” For once, she didn’t tease. She just leaned against him and he nodded silently. She reached up, resting a hand on his cheek. “Come on, Steve, lets go back to my place and we can talk about it. I’ve got the 24 hour pizza place on speed dial if you’re hungry.”  
He raised an eyebrow.  
“Somehow, I’m having trouble picturing you ordering pizza at all hours.”  
She just shrugged.  
“Can’t be friends with Clint as long as I have without ordering from every late night junk food place. Don’t even get me started on the mission we had in California. If I never see another burrito, it’ll be too soon.”  
That got a laugh out of him and she smiled. She had seen the bleak look on his face when she’d gotten there. As much as the Red Room still haunted her dreams, the ice still had him. She took his hand and led him back to her car. Maybe they could both free each other from the past.

 

 


End file.
